On Wings of Protection
by Teefa and Co
Summary: 2nd in the Wings Trilogy. Five years after Yggdrasil, Virginia awakens from her coma. Now, she is the only one who can teach a certain young android how to live as a human.
1. A Long Sleep Broken

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A Long Sleep Broken

The girl didn't know how long she'd slept and dreamed. All she could remember was that she was in the lower chambers of the Yggdrasil Generator, looking in at the Filgaia Sample growing in his cylinder. Just then, an explosion rocked the world. Shrapnel hit her, and all went black. Ever since, dreams were the only things the girl knew, mostly memories of the outside world that her body and mind were longing for.

Virginia Maxwell was her name, and she had followed her father, Werner, to his job one day. It was because something told her he wasn't coming home, and she didn't want him to leave her or her mother. A plan was made, to come to his place of work and make sure he returned home that night. But when she was able to catch up to him, after teleporting, he told her he'd only packed heavy because the trip would be a week long. Apparently, their experiment was nearing completion, and he would have to be there for it.

She stayed with him, was there when the boy named Jet had died copying his DNA to the Sample. 

She felt sorry for both him and Adam, apparently Jet wanted to be friends with the boy who would be like his twin. Wanting to help her father out, she stayed with him at the lab. The girl had no real friends her own age back home, she could be friends with Adam. Werner had liked that idea, he thought of pushing back the energy sent to the creation of this boy, so he would be born when Virginia was nearly fifteen, his age if you were going by physical looks. That was the topic of discussion the night Duran overloaded the machine that supplied energy to the generator, blowing the whole facility and everything and everyone inside of it.

It was the last dream she most remembered. In it, a woman in a silver gown stood there in front of her. Her blond hair fell down past her legs, nearly on the floor, and her violet eyes shown with intense light. Plenty of golden jewelry was on her body. "My name is Filgaia, the Planet Guardian. Child, listen to me. I need a favor of you. When you awaken, take my spawn, the boy your father called Adam Kadmon, and protect him from this world. You wanted him to be your friend, so now is your chance. Only, don't call him by the name they decided on, what if one of them survived and decided to hurt him? Use the name of the boy who died in the experiment, Jet Enduro. Now, daughter of Adlehyde, return to the world of the living."

* * *

"Where am I?" asked the young woman as she awoke, "This doesn't look like Yggdrasil." Looking around, she saw that she was lying on the floor, wet with the panakea fluid from a cylinder that had broke behind her. Her brown hair needed to be towel dried, right away. Then, as her blue eyes looked down to her body, she saw she was completely naked. Not only that, but two bulges were on her chest that hadn't been there when the eight year old was knocked out by the flying metals from the nearby machines. Years had most likely gone by, and her body was mature. But that wasn't important now, she had to get clothes on.

Virginia ran through the corridors, and found the room of Elliot Enduro. His son had some old things lying around, the boy was the same height as her but only a little broader. These could do until she could get something better to wear at the store. After dressing in a black T-shirt, blue jeans, leather boots, and a leather belt, the girl returned to the room she had woken in. There, in another cylinder, was the boy named Adam, floating peacefully, nearly at the end of his growth. She couldn't go too many places until he awoke, so she just went to town for new clothes. The girl bought a white T-shirt, a leather jacket with tan fringe on the bottom, a skirt of the same make, a black belt with a star clip on it, and some black fingerless gloves with a blue wrist guard. Bringing them back with her, Virginia returned to the facility to check on Adam.

* * *

There, a horrid sight met her eyes. There was a large undead rhino creature with white bones trying to break the tank. Although he was almost done, he still wasn't ready to awaken. If he did, was removed from the power that brought him to life, he would die. And Virginia definitely didn't want that to happen now.

"Hey! Yeah you, I'll fight you!" she called out. That got the creature's attention. It ran at Virginia, who hadn't yet purchased an ARM to help her fight. All she had was her magic, the stuff her mother had taught her when she was a child. Charging up, the girl threw a Saint spell at the monster. It reeled from the pain, but didn't die. She was amazed, all undead were weak to spells of the Light category. What had gone wrong? But there was little time to think, for it was now ready to charge again. This one hit her and knocked the girl back into the wall. The monster then decided to concentrate on killing the boy in the tank.

Virginia screamed, "Noooooooo!" Suddenly, something she couldn't define happened. A pair of wings, green as the leaves on a tree, burst from her back. But somehow they didn't do any damage to her clothes, which was a relief. There was no way she would go into town to get more with wings on her back.

The monster saw the transformation out of the corner of its eyes. Running at her, it hoped to stop the girl who tried to interfere with its meal. But the new powers made Virginia even stronger than she was before. She flew in the air, and her next Saint spell hit home, destroying the creature the second it was hit.

She sighed, and flew down to the ground. "That was close, but you're going to be ok now, Adam, I mean Jet. I'll protect you until you awaken, and then we can be friends. I've always wanted someone my own age to talk to. And with a friend, you won't ever be alone in the world. We'll never be alone again."

* * *

Virginia was on guard duty every day after that, only leaving to eat and use the facilities. When she was confident her wings wouldn't get in the way and scare people, she learned a trick for making them fold and lay at her side, she went into Little Rock to purchase a leather cloak like her skirt. She could now lay her wings on her back, and cover them with the cloak. Also, she got a new set of leather boots and black gloves, this time with green wrist guards, a black T-shirt, jeans, a black belt with a circular clip on it, and a jacket much like her own. As a treat, she also picked up some holders to put her hair in a ponytail or braid, and a red headband. Laying the extra clothes out on a stool, she eagerly awaited the birth of her new friend.

- - - -

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Teefa's Last Words….

You know how I thought of it? Tossing and turning one night in my sleep. The style of the story is Rutee's fault, she helped form a skeleton story with Evanescence music. I liked that idea. And this was only two out of eighteen songs. There will be at least one a chapter, most likely two, and maybe three. Just because I can't draw this out long enough for eighteen chapters. And yes, the usual Shaman theory will be here, she's already used her magic in battle.


	2. New Friendship

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New Friendship

Virginia awoke on the day of April 27 to a cracking sound. She looked back, it was almost as if Jet was trying to break out himself. Realizing that it would be almost time, the girl ran to the other room to get him the clothing she'd brought. By the time she got back, she could see the energy was breaking out of the capsule. Then, it shattered, and the panakea fluid spilt out. As did the silver haired boy who was floating in said fluid. He opened his violet eyes, wondering what in the world was going on. When he eyed her, he felt calmed a little bit. The girl blushed, it wasn't every day she had someone actually curious to look at her.

"Who are you?" he asked, "Where is this? And come to think of it, who am I?" He looked around, as if he was lost. Virginia understood his feeling, he had no memory except the deeply programmed ones her father had spoken of. But there was no way to reach those unless he used his powers to do something. All she could do was hand him the clothes she'd brought. Then, the girl turned her back, not wanting to see him without anything on any longer. She could talk and not watch him, her father and his rival did it all the time when on the council. In those last days, she'd heard about fifty arguments between the two of them.

"My name is Virginia Maxwell, and we are at the Leyline Observatory. It was a facility where the old Council of Seven did their research. As for you, your real name is Adam Kadmon, but I was told to call you Jet Enduro," Virginia replied. She then went into her story, about the boy's origins, and how she was there to ask him to be her friend. The girl spoke of her lonely childhood, her father always being away, and how her mother had taught her magic. Then, she told him about how the Planet Guardian begged her to take care of him, knowing she would probably do it without asking. Also, she explained her family history to him, a boy who was just born would know nothing of the lies that had doomed her mother's people in the old war.

Jet said, "You really have had a hard life. I guess I can be your friend. But can an artificial being such as myself even be capable of love and friendship? Or was that ancestor you told me about, the one who fought in the Second Demon War, just a fluke?" He seemed generally concerned about his origins.

Virginia smiled at Jet. "Don't worry, I'm sure you can. Heck, if my father hadn't told me what you were, I would have thought you were just a normal kid. You wouldn't have been able to tell the difference either. That shows it, you can be human. Even if you were unable to, I still wouldn't desert you like this."

Just then, a low growl was heard. A team of those rhinos had shown up, then did almost every day since she started her watch here. Virginia grabbed the Duel Pistols she'd picked up in town when she went to get her cloak, just like the ones her father used, and fired. Then, she grabbed a large machine gun from the table nearby, it was the secret weapon her father and the others had created for Jet to use in combat.

"Take this ARM and concentrate," Virginia told him, "Concentrate on firing it and nothing else. That is the key to using an ARM. Fire at the monsters, we've got to stop them from killing the two of us." She fired another pair of shots, killing the target she'd aimed at. Jet watched in awe, he'd never seen this before.

The boy began to concentrate as well, and the ARM seemed to come to life in his hands. It then fired six shots in rapid motion. They destroyed a second monster. Feeling confident, the youth attacked the third one in the line, while Virginia charged up her Saint to damage the fourth. Both died in the attacks. With all of their enemies defeated, the two youths sat down on the floor. Jet looked at Virginia, and saw that she was panting a little. But she gave him a little wink, as if to say he'd done a good job back there.

"What kind of weapon is that? You call it an ARM, and it seemed to react to me when I was just thinking about destroying that creature. There's something strange here," he stated, looking at the girl. Virginia shrugged, and threw off her cloak. Then, she let her wings unfurl, and flew up into the air. Jet had to restrain himself from staring, it was one of the strangest things he'd seen in his life. Ok, so he was just born today, but let's not get technical. The point is he was amazed when he saw her flying high above him.

Virginia said, "This came about after I was placed into the capsule next to yours. Probably a side effect of the power that saved my life. It could be a gift, or a curse, I have no idea yet. But I can tell you about your ARM, the Airget-lamh B/V2. It was created specially for you from the energy of the Guardian Blade, only you can use that weapon. ARMs are used through synchronization, but you can't use one with the power and technology of Demons in it. I would suggest we get out of here, this place is dangerous with those monsters about. We could be killed." She came back down to earth, retracted her wings, and put on the cloak again. Then, the girl gave Jet a smile, as if to reassure him that everything would be alright now.

Before leaving, Virginia went into the back room, locked by a laser and a password. Imputing the code, she disappeared inside the door. Upon her return, she had picked up a battered old photograph.

Jet looked at her strangely. "What is that, a souvenir of this place? Why do you need it?" The photo was of six men and one woman, all in dusty lab coats. But one man, second from the right, looked just like Virginia. She'd told him that her father used to work her, was it a photo of his own creators?  


"My father," she told him, confirming his hunch, "And the people he worked with. There's Duran, and Elliot, and Pete, and Malik, and Melody, and Leehalt. They're all probably dead now, the accident took them as it almost took us. But someone had to have survived, to move us to this place to recover and be brought back to life. I just don't know which one it was. Well, let's get going. We can head for my home of Boot Hill. There, we'll go and see my mother, aunt, and uncle. Maybe they know if Daddy is ok or not."  


Leaving the observatory, they began to walk across the Wastelands. Jet could sense the dryness in the ground, he knew enough to focus his mind to seeing what was wrong. If he didn't know he had those powers, he would probably have ignored it. Once they were far enough away from the building, just in case someone came and saw them, Virginia took off her cloak and grew her wings again. She took to the air, and began to fly, grabbing Jet between her two hands. They went south, and a small bit west. Virginia had gone to the Observatory before with her dad, on Take Your Daughter to Work Day, so she did have a basic idea as to how she would return to Boot Hill. The wind felt so good on them as the flew through the sky.

- - - -

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Sky's Corner

Typing again, as Teefa's indisposed. What do you expect when Jet hasn't got a shirt on? Well, here's the beginning of a beautiful friendship and a wacky romance.


	3. Shadow Demon

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Shadow Demon

In Boot Hill, they saw a funeral procession coming past them. When she asked someone what was going on, he told the girl that the person was a Drifter who had defended the village from the Shadow Demon that had attacked them. Although the monster escaped to Gob's Hideout in the south, the villagers hadn't been hurt at all. But the man was killed, so they were honoring his sacrifice and giving him a proper burial.

"Jet," whispered Virginia, "We can go and defeat the Demon ourselves. I know the way to the place he inhabits, everyone in town does. Once we do that, we'll come back home heroes. Whatever pain I might have caused my poor mother, aunt, and uncle by running off to follow Daddy, not knowing Yggdrasil would be destroyed, can be reversed by stopping it before it attacks again. What do you say, we're going to go?"  


"Whatever, it doesn't matter to me. After all, this is your home, you make the decision about what to do here. If I had a place to call home, then I would have made decisions when we were there," replied Jet. Virginia was instantly sorry for him, he was pained by the fact that he wasn't born like she and other human beings. The girl looked at him, as if to say everything was going to be alright if he just stuck with what he was doing. Then, she walked over to him, and tugged on his sleeve. It was time to get going for the manor.

They walked out of town, and then Virginia took off her cloak. She extended her wings, grabbed Jet around his torso, and then took off into the air. The two of them flew until reaching the large mansion in the south. Virginia explained, "This place used to belong to a merchant. But before I was even born, his greed consumed him, and he was killed. Goblin monsters called Gobs live there, not too dangerous. A Shadow Demon, however, is. We've got to kill it before it tries to go on a rampage once again. I know we can do it."

Jet wondered what two kids like them could do. But then he remembered he wasn't human, and she had become partially non-human herself after the genetic alterations that came with her revival. Neither were normal kids, they would be able to fight this thing. He hoped that his senses were right, for their sake.

* * *

Inside, they found a locked door, and hit a switch. The next room saw a door locked, with nothing to open it. Looking around, they found an unlit torch, figuring it to be a clue. And it was. In the room on the side of this one, was a Tinder Crest, which started fires. Jet also saw a Boomerang impaled in the wood of an old bookshelf. He picked it up, while Virginia claimed the Crest Graph. Using it to light the torch, the door was opened. Then, the duo was free to go on. But Jet could swear that someone was watching them.

His senses were confirmed when a Gob tried to ambush them in the next room. But he was not a Gob as you might think. Possessed by the Shadow Demon, he was now a Shadow Gob. They were of an Invisible Class, one which physical attacks went right through like they were nothing more than paper. Jet knew his gun would be of no use. Even though it had Filgaia's powers in it, the attacks were still physical.

Virginia had the answer, stretching out her hands. "Stare Roe, Come forth and smash the darkness that waits in shadows. SAINT!" The Light Elemental spell hit the monster, who was of a Dark nature. His shadowed flesh was penetrated, killing him. But they couldn't celebrate just yet. For unless the Shadow Demon himself was killed, these monsters would just keep coming back, whenever another Gob walked into his trap. And judging from the amount of Gobs in this manor, there would be plenty of fodder for his slaves.

* * *

Finally, they came to a room with a Duplicator in a chest. Using that key, Virginia opened a door to the front entrance. But as she began to enter, dark energy hit her from behind. Standing there, was a misty figure of darkness, the Shadow Demon. He looked at her, and cast the Reflect spell. Now, Virginia couldn't use her magic to fight, it would only bounce back onto her. And she and Jet couldn't use physical attacks on monsters of the Invisible Class. Unless they could think of a genius plan of some sort, they would die.

"So," the monster hissed, "You have come to slay me, the great Shadow Demon. You two children will do it when many of your elders have failed? Weapons cannot harm me, magic bounces off of me, I am an all powerful creature. Now then, you will become my nourishment. Once I drain the souls from your two little bodies, I will grow stronger. Then, I will go and attack the village that lies in the north, to look for more."

"Leave my family and friends alone you creep! I will never forgive you!" screamed Virginia. She ran at this beast, knowing very well that she couldn't hit him. The girl fell strait through his body, and her cloak became untangled. As it fell off, her wings burst forth, in all of their glory. Virginia didn't know what to make of it, but they seemed to glow of their own accord. The Shadow Demon shrieked, it was in great pain from the energy in the wings. Almost as if Filgaia's own powers were eating the creature alive, as it did to others.

Jet asked her, "Are you ok? Because if you hurt yourself, I can't do anything about it now." He ran forward, making sure not to get caught by the Demon, and arriving where Virginia fell. The boy saw how her wings glowed, reacting aversely to the Shadow Demon. But when he touched her, they seemed to welcome him, recognizing his aura of power. It was then that he had an idea, a crazy idea, but an idea nonetheless.

Virginia had the same thought. "If we combine our powers, concentrating as one, maybe there is a chance. They're not like magic at all, and can't be reflected. But they're not physical attacks, so they will hit this monster. Let's try it, what do we have to lose anyway? We're dead if we can't do it, so this is a risk I'm willing to take." She looked at Jet, who nodded. Grasping hands, they began to focus on their powers.

"What do you humans think you can do?" asked the Shadow Demon, "Praying to your Guardians to guard your souls? Well, that won't be necessary, you won't have souls once I'm through with you two kids."

"That's not what we're doing," Virginia replied. She began to pour all of the power she had into the attack, focusing on the Shadow Demon. A long beam of energy then flew out from their hands, and hit the monster in the stomach. It began gasping for air, and died soon after. Then, it faded into nothingness.

Jet inquired, "What should we call this thing? If we're going to use the attack, it needs a name."

Virginia thought for a moment. "Well, for one thing, it looked like a beam of energy. For another, it is made up of the power of Filgaia. Since the ARM you use in battle, the one with Filgaia's power, is called Airget-lamh, we should call it the Airget-Beam. Who knows, maybe we can find more combos with this."

Jet liked that name. He walked over to the monster, and picked up the Gella it had dropped when it croaked. That could buy them food for some time, if they returned to the road. But Virginia wanted to go to her home, and stay with her family. If that was the case, he would save it for something in the future. When he finished, he turned towards the opened Duplicator door. Then, the two of them returned to Boot Hill.

- - - -

Teefa's Last Words…

A fav chapter of mine, with one of my favorite songs as the fight theme. Well, we're going heavy today. Oh, and a way belated Happy Graduation to myself and the girls, June 23, but you know how I'm always way ahead of my typing. I was still posting "A Mother's Legacy" when I wrote this.Oh, and in case you're wondering why Jet's been OOC, well it's because Virginia's taking care of him. She'd definately make sure he understood emotions, and that he would care. Werner was concentrating on his ability to fight and fend for himself instead.


	4. What You Didn't Want to Know

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What You Didn't Want to Know

Before entering Boot Hill again, Virginia retracted her wings and replaced her cloak. Then, the two of them went inside, to tell about how they killed the Demon. Everyone could see that they appeared to be Drifters, and not just kids. But they had a hard time believing. That was, until a few brave people went to Gob's Hideout, and found no Demon. They called the two of them heroes, and decided to feast in honor of their bravery. All of the best cooks in town were called, and the party was going to be in full swing. Jet and Virginia felt quite strange, they hadn't been expecting this. But Virginia hadn't eaten a real meal since the Yggdrasil disaster, only the nutrients in the fluid preserved her and she ate only beef jerky and the stale rations of the scientists afterwards, and Jet had only eaten the rations found in the lab. This was welcomed.

"You know," said a blond woman, Virginia's Aunt Shalte, "You remind me of my dear niece, Virginia. Or, rather, what she would have looked like had she not died as a child. Five years it's been since the girl vanished without a trace, following her father to work. He never came home again, and neither did she. And she wasn't the type to just run out and desert her family. Her poor mother couldn't take the heartache, and passed away only a few months later, four days shy of what would have been Ginny's eighth birthday. It was such a tragedy, everyone mourned the loss of one so young. Even those who didn't like her too much." It was a reference to all of the kids who had teased Virginia while she was growing up, as she was different.

Those words stung Virginia at the heart. If she had said who she was before, they would have most likely believed her. But now, it would appear as if she was taunting the pain of the people for losing her all those years ago. And her mother was gone too, it was the worst thing she could ever have been told. On that day, she hadn't meant to hurt her mother too, all she wanted was to find her father and make sure he came home again. So much horrid news to be told, and she wasn't even thirteen years yet. Tears formed in her eyes, but she could not cry. The news of her mother's death, and that her father might not have been the one to save them, was getting to her. But if Werner was dead, then who could have rescued them?

Jet's arm around her made her feel better. It was as if he sensed what was going on, and wanted to comfort his young friend. She smiled at him, happy to know he cared. But that wouldn't stop the pain she felt, only lessen it by telling her she wasn't alone. The only thing she could do was to visit the place where Ekatrina Maxwell lay buried, in the Boot Hill Cemetery. She would go after dinner was finished, so she was not attracting attention to herself for leaving the feats. Few kids would do that to visit a person who they hadn't known in life. So she picked up some chicken, and began to eat like she hadn't eaten in, well years.

* * *

"Mother, I've come to see you," whispered Virginia. In her hand was a Tiny Flower, brought at the local store. That flower had been Ekatrina's favorite in life, there was always a bouquet on the windowsill or counter. But the strangest thing was that there was another laying there. She shook it off, maybe her uncle or aunt had placed it there for her. They did love her like she was a blood relative, even though Tesla was her father's brother and Shalte was Tesla's wife. Virginia also saw what appeared to be a small inscription that spoke of her. It said, "Here rests Ekatrina Maxwell. With her went the soul of her dead daughter, a life cut tragically short when she left town with her father. May Virginia's memory never fade from our hearts."

A tear came to her eye, and splashed on the grave. Jet walked up to her, knowing she wanted to be alone. But suddenly, the air around them began to distort. Above the grave was a woman, with blond hair and green eyes. She wore a red robe, with a golden border on the neck and arms, and a golden sash. Her hand reached out to touch Virginia's. The girl grabbed it, as if her mother had somehow came back to life. She knew it wasn't true, this was only her spirit. But it didn't change the fact that her mother was here.

Ekatrina looked at the girl, joy in her eyes. "My daughter, thank you for coming. When you never came home, I thought I'd lost you forever. But then, I was unable to find you in the Realm of the Dead, and I asked Ge Ramtos where you were. He told me you lived, in a state between the worlds. Your soul wasn't ready for the long journey, but neither were you alive. Then, he said that you would eventually return to me."

"I did come home mother," she called out, "Come back with my friend. Oh, mother, Yggdrasil was destroyed when the generator exploded. Shrapnel hit me, fire was at my back, I couldn't see anymore. It was then that I dreamed, dreamed of the past and my memories. Suddenly, the Planet Guardian came to me when I almost awoke, telling me about taking care of Jet here. Then, I found myself on the floor of the Leyline Observatory. I came home when Jet awoke, he was regenerating too, but I don't know what to do now. No one will believe me when I tell them who I really am. So where in the world can I go to belong?"

"My daughter, my dearest daughter. You are never in a place you don't belong. As long as you have Jet by your side, you always belong somewhere. Because you two belong together, as partners in your travels. I want you to stick together, and protect each other from the dangers in the world," Ekatrina requested. She gave her daughter a smile, and faded away. Virginia went down on the ground, and cried.

* * *

The next day, Virginia was feeling much better. She would have to, she and Jet were leaving Boot Hill immediately, and heading back into the Wasteland for more adventures. They had no idea where to go, perhaps Jolly Roger? There was where many Drifters seemed to gather, for the reasons of hunting treasure.

Jet told her, "If we have no place to stay, we're going to need some money to eat. So, I guess if that place has some of the best information, as you seem to think, it would be our best bet. Let's go there, and find some large treasure. If we play our cards right, we will be able to eat like that for a long time."

So they left town, and took to the wing once more. Virginia was a little distressed, she hadn't thought her mother wouldn't be there when she returned home. But at least she got to see her one last time, to talk to the woman who loved her more than anything. Now if only her father survived, then at least there would be one person who she could rely on to take care of them. If the three of them were able to meet, and work together, she and Jet wouldn't ever have to worry about taking on such dangerous jobs like chasing a Shadow Demon. It paid well, they wouldn't go hungry for awhile, but it was also exhausting when they used their powers. Hopefully, that would be the last time they'd have to combine their energy to fight.

- - - -  


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Teefa's Last Words…

What a sad chapter, poor Virginia. She doesn't deserve all that. But it is supposed to be a story with some tragedy in it. And an excuse as to why she is with Jet outside of town. I will be writing the sequel. It will take place in game, and follow the story from the POV of the two friends, as they try to hide their dark secrets from Clive and Gallows.


	5. Thieves

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Thieves

They arrived near Jolly Roger as the sun was setting. But Virginia wanted to camp out, it would be nice to see the stars as she lay awake. Besides, it would save them some money on the saloon fees. So they each stretched out their sleeping bags, and set up their camp. The duo made a campfire, and toasted marshmallows for S'mores. Virginia assured Jet that the creation of chocolate, marshmallow, and graham crackers was good. He tried them, and liked what he had eaten. The two of them then made several more.

Around ten o'clock, they prepared to get to sleep. Jet went to bed right away, but Virginia wasn't ready to fall into dreamland just yet. She pondered her past, and what could have happened on that day.

'Who could have saved us?' she wondered, 'If it was Daddy, then why hasn't he come home? He's the only person who would be frantic if I was hurt. But maybe it was Uncle Elliot, since Jet has his son's DNA inside of him. He wanted him to be his son. Or Uncle Pete, he's a Baskar and has a great reverence for life. Chances are that Uncle Duran died, he was the closest to the generator. Uncle Malik might have wanted to make sure Jet survived, since his team was primarily responsible for his creation, and he does have that interest in reviving the dead. But I don't think he would have cared about Jet. Aunt Melody would be only looking for her missing eyeliner, probably not even noticing us. And as for Uncle Leehalt, probably not. I still can remember what he said the day before the accident, when he and Daddy were arguing again."

~ ~ ~ ~

"Why do you even let that creature live, Werner? We've got all of the data on him and his life, so why not destroy him? There's no need to see how he reacts to human society, it will do nothing to aid in our regeneration of Filgaia. All you want is to have a friend for your brat of a daughter," Leehalt boomed.

Werner replied, "He is a life, and we should not destroy him. Heck, even Malik, who would rather dissect him for study, is more concerned than you. You wouldn't even want to study him. He's not just another android, he'll be almost as human as you and I when done. Why can't you care about anyone besides yourself, Leehalt?" She had never heard her father so angry before, even when she got in trouble.

Leehalt laughed a little bit. "It's ironic you should say that, when you were the one who took the girl I loved from me. You even set me up, Werner, so I would have to feel the bitter sting of rejection. And now you've left your mark by having a child together. If you hadn't betrayed me to get what you wanted, I would have someone to care about, Ekatrina, and probably a few children of my own. Remember that my heart is your own doing, and nothing you can do will ever change how I feel. Nobody can change the planet's past."

~ ~ ~ ~

'Definitely not Leehalt,' she thought, 'If he had found us, he would have let Jet die because he had no respect for the boy they'd created, and left me just to spite my father. Oh, Jet, I wish we didn't have to live these lives, that things could have been different. If that had happened, we could have been living in my hometown together, with Mommy and Daddy, and everyone would have been happy. None of this sorrow.'

"Well, look what we have here boys. A girl, camping out. What do you thing, is she my type? We should take her back to our hideout, see what she's made of," a rough voice said from behind her. When the girl turned, she saw a gang of thieves, three, staring at her. All of them were men, in their twenties, and armed with pistols. The leader stared at her, with a scary look on his face. She'd heard stories about men like this, men who took young girls with them against their will, and raped them. Fear filled Virginia's heart.

As the men came closer, she fired two nervous shots. They missed their targets, since she hadn't been concentrating very good. But they did manage to wake up Jet, and he saw the men. Rage began to build up in the boy, as Virginia was about to be assaulted. He got up, and shot the leader with Airget-lamh. But he wasn't dead yet, and the leader shot Jet back. The bullet hit his shoulder, causing the boy to wince in pain. Not that something like that would stop him, his best friend was about to become some thief's little toy, and he wouldn't stand for it. Jet got back up, not caring about the pain in his arm, and fired once more.

One of the thieves went down, hit in the heart. Then Jet killed the second man in the same manner. But the boss was a little bit tougher. He put down his pistol, and grabbed a rapid fire machine gun instead. Then, he shot Jet again and again, in the torso area. But that didn't stop the boy either, if anything it made him want to fight all the more. This man was not going to get away with trying to harm Virginia, he'd die.

The boss stuttered, "You, you're a monster! No normal human can survive such an attack, what in the heck are you?" He backed off, firing off his gun rapidly. These attacks, however, didn't hit their target, as he wasn't concentrating. The boss was too afraid to think strait, just like what he did to Virginia before.

Jet brought Airget-lamh into firing position. "I think I have a different definition of what a monster is than you. Because you're trying to take Virginia away, to hurt her in some way I don't know of, or maybe even kill her. You messed with me, and so you die." He fired again, killing the man cowering in front of him.

"Thanks, Jet," Virginia said, "If it weren't for you, then those men would have taken me away. I don't think I want to lay with any of them, I'm only twelve and a half, too young for that sort of thing. And they're so much older. Oh, Guardians! You're hurt, Jet. Let me take care of that wound. Oodoryuk, give strength to this injured soul. HI-HEAL!" In amazement, Jet saw his wounds begin to fade as if they never were there.

"These Shaman power really are something. You've demolished enemies, and healed allies with them. What else can they do, fix rips in blankets?" Jet asked, half joking. He looked at her, and smiled.

Virginia told him, "We should really take turns keeping watch, so more don't come to attack us. I'll go first, I'm not ready to sleep just yet. Besides, you were hurt from the attack, and need to get back your strength. When the hour is up, then I'll wake you and you take an hour. Or we can use two or three hour intervals, just divide the night. We each get to sleep, and we keep safe too. That's how we used to camp when I was a little girl, and went with my father and mother. 'Better to be safe than sorry', as they said."

Jet lay down, to sleep. As Virginia watched him breath, she smiled. He had emotions as any human would, despite his laboratory origins. She would make sure he could live like a human being, it was the least she could do for him. For Jet had been the only one, besides her family, who cared about her as a living girl. Even the monument was one to someone thought to be dead. They were now their own family.

- - - -

****

Teefa's Last Words..

My car stereo is cool! Got it for a Graduation Present. I can see Leehalt saying something like that. He would be the one to want to kill Jet for no reason, just because. After all, he doesn't respect humans, so why would he respect a person he created in a lab? Besides, better reason for Virginia to beat him up. Darn, now I want some S'mores.


	6. The Master's Invitation

****

The Master's Invitation

They sat in the saloon the next day, trying to devise a plan. But no rumors were going on, not even in the rumor capital of Filgaia. Frustrated, Virginia and Jet left the establishment, in order to get some fresh air. They both realized that the smoke from the incoming Sandcrafts was clouding their minds as well. If they wanted to think clearly, they'd have to leave town and sit in the Wastelands. At least it was quiet.

It was as they were leaving the city that it happened, another Shadow Demon attacked. This one was different from the first, as it seemed not as eager to devour them. Only, it seemed, to deliver some sort of message. But they didn't let their guards down, creatures like that can never be trusted to not turn on you. Virginia held up her arms, to cast a spell before his Reflect kicked in. She wanted the upper hand.

"My master would like to see the two of you," it stated, "In his stronghold, or what you humans call Serpent's Coils, near Claiborne. But you must defeat me in order to see him. If you wish to just give in, and allow me to feed on your souls, that's fine with me too. He will kill you for the death of his agent near Boot Hill. Though if I kill you, he will not mind at all. Rather, I will be allowed to move up a rank in his army of the monsters humans fear most. So, now then, let's get to the battle, so I can eat." Hunger shone in his eyes.

Virginia and Jet looked at one another, and nodded. They then began to concentrate, ready to fire off the Airget-Beam. Not like the Shadow Demon knew that, it was heading for them at a rapid speed so it could devour them all the faster. They weren't a bright race, only into getting it done quickly with strength.

"Foolish humans, you're prayers won't help you now!" it screamed. The Shadow Demon opened its mouth, and grabbed onto Virginia with its talon like hands. He began to concentrate, to pull her soul out of her body. But just then, as it looked down towards her hands, where the soul would be the easiest to start with, the attack was finished. The Airget-Beam went right into his mouth, giving him a literal last meal. As the Demon began to scream, Jet pried his bony fingers off of Virginia. Then, they jumped back to avoid the explosion that would follow. Once done, he went back to pick up the Gella, pocketing it in their money bag.

Virginia said, "The creature mentioned a master, near Claiborne. We should go there right away, if we want to kill it before it kills us. Even if we can keep this up, the numbers a Shadow Demon can create will eventually overwhelm us. For those are just minor types of Shadow Demons, not as minor as those that are created from possessed monsters, but they can't transform into their strongest shape until their master says their worthy. If the one at Boot Hill said the words, he would make Shadow Gobs like him. It's the same concept with these Demons and their master. Well, we really should get going now, before another problem comes about." She extended her wings, and prepared to fly with Jet over the mountains, where the town of Claiborne lay. They would have to ask around about this "Serpent's Coils", if they were to find it.

* * *

Milux from the Claiborne saloon listened with interest to Virginia's fake tale. She wanted directions to the ruin so she could find her and Jet's little sister, who was kidnapped by brigands. The ransom note had told them to come to Serpent's Coils, so they needed directions. "Well, if you really want to go there, it is in the mountains to the north. Just look for a little niche inside of it. But do stay the night, its getting late and I'm sure they won't grudge you a night's sleep. After all, what if they try to betray you? You can't fight them if you aren't in tip top shape. Just go up the stairs, it's on me. I have a young daughter, Martina, and if something like that happened to her I would really like for someone to help me in any way to save her."

Virginia regretted having to lie to someone as kind as Milux. But she had no choice, if they knew a Demon was there they might panic. She wanted to avoid such a scene, let the people have some peace in their lives. The Wastelands were trouble enough for them. It always had been, since she was a child. But something was wrong, she seemed to remember a green world, with blue oceans and forests, an I'm not talking about Yggdrasil either. Virginia shut it down, it was just a memory from ancient times, imbedded in her brain when she came in contact with the powers that had created Jet. She had never seen such green lands before, away from Yggdrasil. Boot Hill having grass was about the closest she had come to that.

* * *

That night, she dreamed. In the dream she was standing with Jet, as the winds whipped all around them. A Demon stood before them, one that looked like some kind of mammal. His hair was reminiscent of how Leehalt Alchest used to wear his. On his side was a bird like demon, and a female one that resembled Aunt Melody. They were using their magic to create a strange form of energy, to call forth an evil from the past of Filgaia. As the armored Demon arose, Virginia's eyes went wide. The man was over eight feet tall!

"Your destiny will come," rang the voice of Filgaia, "This is what you must do. Only the powers that you and Jet have will be able to save our planet. I believe in you, know you can win if you truly try. And you will have friends, two men who you will meet by coincidence, but will be tied to you by fate. Fight, for our future, Shaman child. Never give up, for giving up is the same as dying." Then, she appeared before the girl, and handed her a key of pure light. Virginia had heard of this legend, the symbol of the Planet Guardian was a golden key. If a person was handed a key from her, it meant that he or she was the avatar of Filgaia.

"I will use this gift well. Don't worry, nothing will go wrong on my watch. Jet and I will rescue the planet when these Demons appear. I know we can do it, I'll never let our home world be destroyed. When the time comes, we'll be ready," stated Virginia. She watched as Filgaia faded away, and so did the dream.

* * *

At first, Virginia thought it was just a dream. But when she sat up, something fell into her lap. As she handled the item, she realized it was a necklace. The chain was silver, and the charm was that of a golden key. All Shamans worshipped a High Guardian, Virginia's patron was Raftina, and wore a charm with that Guardian's symbol. You usually didn't get it until your sixteenth birthday, to say the person was responsible enough with their deity, so Virginia didn't have one. But those were silver, and this was gold.

She whispered, "It wasn't a dream, there will be danger in the future. But we can get through it together, no matter what. Let's just concentrate on the Shadow Demon first, we'll worry about the rest when it happens. After all, no sense getting worked up about something that might not happen for several years."

- - - -

****

Teefa's Last Words…  
  
Well, final battle next chapter. Oh, and that is not Beatrice masquerading, in case you were wondering. Virginia really does have contact with the Planet Guardian. To me, Glave le Gable from WA2 seemed like the body of the planet, so I created a Guardian for the energy of the planet.


	7. The New Technique

****

The New Techniques

The next day, the duo headed on out to Serpent's Coils. Virginia purposely hid the key beneath her shirt, and didn't talk about her dream, so she wouldn't upset Jet. He didn't need rattling at this moment, not when he was concentrating on how best to tackle the Demon. They would need every ounce of energy they had if they were to win. If they didn't, well Virginia didn't want to think about what would happen after that.

When they arrived, they found a not-so-warm reception waiting for them. There, standing in the door to the dungeon, was an army of Shadow Gobs, brought from Boot Hill no doubt. They each had the power to destroy a human in one blow, but that wasn't what scared Jet and Virginia. It was the sheer number of the monsters that caused the two to pause. Many separate groups, Virginia's magic couldn't handle that 

much, and Airget-Beam was only a single enemy attack. They needed to devise a plan if they were to win.

"Let's try something new," suggested Virginia, "When we created the Airget-Beam, we focused on the single Shadow Demon to get our aim. What would happen if we focused on every single Shadow Gob in this room? Could our attack be much larger in range?" Jet shrugged, he had no idea. But they had nothing to lose. If it worked, they could continue onwards. If it failed, well they were going to be an entrée anyway.

The two friends joined hands, and began to concentrate on the army of Shadow Gobs that were fast approaching their position. Energy began to crackle like a thunderstorm all around them. Suddenly, it burst out, hitting every monster in the room. Instantly, they were all turned to dust. Virginia let out a sigh of relief.

"Well, that was sure powerful. Hey, Jet, how about we call that attack the Airget-Storm? It looked like a storm, except the lightning bolts were green instead of the usual yellow or white. If you don't like it, we can change the name. So, what do you think about my idea?" asked Virginia. She looked at Jet, as her heart began to flutter in her chest. For he stood there, a man who conquered his greatest foes, holding his head high and his eyes looking forward towards tomorrow. He'd look perfect in one of those fashion photos.

Jet told her, "It doesn't matter to me. I just want to get this done and over with. I mean, we may be the ones who hold the power of Filgaia inside of us, but you're just a young girl and I was just born. This is not the type of work we should be starting on. We'd do better off on a treasure hunt, guaranteed money in those, and we need the money to eat. So, let's continue onwards, and talk about this when we get back."

* * *

Later on, they came to a room that would later be the site of a battle between Jet, Virginia, two men who would become their teammates, and the team of the female Drifter, Maya Schroedinger. There, their eyes fell upon a Shadow Demon like no other. He was taller than the undead monsters that inhabited their birthplace, but with a similar shape. Except for the addition of spikes and horns sticking out on its back and head. The creature let out a roar to rock the building, causing Jet and Virginia to nearly fall down. It was an earth shattering scream, that loosened some of the stones, nearly causing one to fall on Virginia. It was a lucky break that Jet pushed her out of the way in time. When they got their footing, they turned to face the Demon. Virginia stepped forward, determination in her eyes. "We came as you told us. Now the game is up. You will pay for all the evils you have committed, never again will you hurt a human being." The young girl brought up her Duel Pistols, to show she was serious. That was followed by Jet aiming his Airget-lamh.

"Humans, do you actually think you can defeat me?" inquired the monster, "I have lived in this place for hundreds of years, trapping many who come to seek treasure and the remnants of the Demons. You are here for the one purpose of becoming my nourishment. Those other agents did a good job of luring you both to this spot. Now, you will die." With that, it charged up the Reflect spell, placing the magical barrier on it. Jet and Virginia put away their ARMs, they had only brought them up to look impressive. All along the two had known it would come to this, the use of magic and their combined Filgaia Power skills to defeat it.

Joining hands, they began to concentrate on their enemy. Firing the Airget-Beam, it managed to hit their enemy. But the Shadow Demon wasn't down yet, countering with the skill Phantom Hazard. The Dark energy caused both warriors to take damage, and make them have to refocus their attacks. Another one of their Airget-Beams did little to hurt the creature, it was almost as if the Shadow Demon had another barrier.

"Your attacks are feeble, now you die!" it told them. Then, it shot its shadowy horns at each one of them, to impale them and knock them down. But before they hit, something amazing happened. A barrier flew out of their still joined hands, made of the same energy that was part of the Airget-Beam and Storm. It was decided then to call the new skill the Airget-Barrier, since it guarded against attacks. But they had to get back to the battle at hand first. Somehow, they had to overcome the Shadow Demon's barrier to win.

Virginia exclaimed, "Dist Dims! The Sacred Staff of the Guardians, it's inside of my body at this very moment. If we use that, there's no way we can lose. And if we combine it with our Airget-Type skills, we'll have the power of every Guardian as well as the planet itself on our side. We'll be an invincible force."

Jet looked at her. "I don't know what you're saying, but you'd better do something quick. I don't think that creature is going to sit still much longer. Once it gets over our blocking its attack, then we're in for it. Remember, it can drain our souls in one blow, if we let it touch us. So be careful, if you die I'll kick your butt." He gave her a smirk, as if to say he was joking. She understood, just happy she had taught him 

how to laugh. Even if their lives would be short, his especially, at least they could share that one moment.

"Dist Dims," she screamed, "Sacred Staff, come to your owner and do her bidding to destroy evil."

"Airget-lamh, Sacred Sword, lend me your power to vanquish my enemies," Jet called out next.

Together, they chanted, "Guardians, Planet, hear our pleas. Combine your powers, use them to defend us and the people of this world from those who wish to do them harm. Airget-Cannon!" Then, the most amazing thing happened. A staff came forth out of Virginia's body, with a pink hand hold and silver on top. Airget-lamh sprung to life, and began to merge with the staff. Together, they formed a long ARM, one that had never been seen before. The two put their hands on top of it, and concentrated. A large beam, wider and longer than the Airget-Beam, flew forth out of the weapon. It hit the Shadow Demon, and turned it to dust almost instantly. Jet walked forward to pick up the Gella, and the two tired warriors went to town.

- - - -

****

Teefa's Last Words…

Yeah, Ginny's flirting. Well, she said he looked hansom, certainly all kids that age are looking at people like that. I remember looking at magazines just to see the cute stars in it. And, also remember, I did have crushes on how many RPG characters when I was young? Come to think about it, still do.


	8. Sunset

****

Sunset

"That was almost a disaster," muttered Virginia, "Only quick thinking saved our skins. I'm not even thirteen, and I had to fight a monster like that. Maybe I should just stay out of trouble from now on, only take jobs that involve treasure hunting. As Jet said, we're still young, we shouldn't throw our lives away in a foolish gamble. If only I didn't have such a big mouth and ideas about all of this stuff, then I could have been 

safe. But I had to follow my father, and now the two of us aren't able to live out peaceful and happy lives."

"Virginia, please stop complaining. We're safe, we don't have to do it again, and there is nothing to worry about. Let's just put the whole thing behind us. At least we have enough money to get by, or else we would be starving. I don't know where monsters get Gella, but I'm grateful for it," replied Jet, sipping on the soda he'd brought at the saloon. Hey! They're fifteen and almost thirteen, what do you expect? Beer?

Milux said, "If I had known there would be a Demon, I would have warned you. But were you able to save your little sister? Or was she food for that Demon? If so, I offer my deepest condolences to the two of you. Please, have some more to drink, on the house." She poured some more soda into Jet's empty glass, and then some into Virginia's. Then she had to look over, to make sure her six-year-old daughter wasn't in any trouble. Martina was just running around, she hadn't been hurt nor had she broken anything valuable.

Virginia shook her head. "Actually, we knew about the Demon. There was no captive, we were on our way to take it out. But I didn't want anyone in town to panic, so I made up a bogus story to keep you from worrying about something. Besides, we made it back, so no harm was done. Now we want to forget the whole thing ever happened. I'm never getting involved with Demons again, no matter what happens to me." She seemed to forget about her dream, the one that was telling her about the upcoming battle with the Demons. But when the golden key knocked against her chest as she moved, Virginia remembered it well.

"You are the bravest kids I've ever seen," Milux stated, "Most would run away if they ever heard a Demon coming, or that one was in the area. Drifters far older and more experienced than you would have done the same thing. But you two, you went out on a limb and fought the creature. Countless lives were saved through that, and I thank you. Drink as much as you like, it'll be on the house for your brave deed."

They ordered their lunch then, eating their fill. Once they were done, Virginia and Jet picked up their things and left. It was not in the nature of a Drifter to stay in one place for so long. Both of them had a longing for adventure, to feel the wind at their backs. And they did just that, the second they were able to do so without being seen they took to the wing with Virginia's powers. Next stop: Baskar Colony. It was something to discuss with the High Priestess, their powers and the dream that Virginia had last night. It would also be the best time to tell Jet that he'd better not expect to live out his life without another battle.

* * *

"I see. So you had this dream, where the Planet Guardian told you that you would save the world from a future Demon attack. Interesting, it must be long off though. We Baskar are closely tied to the planet, we would have sensed an enormous power awakening. I wouldn't worry about it, you most likely will be adults when the time comes to fight these monsters," High Priestess Halle told them. Her blue eyes had a lock on Virginia's own, and her dark brown hair was done up in little ponytails. She paid no attention to Jet, for the Baskar know the truth about the Shamans and would be very curious about one coming to visit their colony. Shamans were always in the shadows, just trying to avoid getting killed for a few gold coins.

Jet asked her, "Why didn't you tell me about this? If you dreamed we were going to be in a battle for the world's future in a few years, then why did you keep it a secret." He felt left out, she was his best friend, and best friends don't hide these sorts of things from one another. But he calmed down the second he saw how shaken up she was. Apparently, the threat of fighting Demons was making her a bit nervous.

She looked at him. "Didn't want to upset you, you have enough problems to worry about. But I'm sure we can take care of it. Besides, there will be two others who will join our struggle. I'm sure they'll be able to help. Even though they can't use the Airget techniques like us. It might be best not to tell them the truth about us, we have no idea if we will be accepted for who we are. Maybe we don't care, but there are some shallow people out there who only want friends who are 'normal' people. Would they hurt us for being who we are? I'm sorry for babbling, it's just that I'm used to being afraid of telling, it's from being Shaman."

"Whatever," Jet said, "Just as long as you don't do anything to get yourself killed, I'm not going to stop you from doing what you want. We're free, remember? But I do have to agree. The High Priestess is a person who'll listen, has to be with her whole tribe to manage, but I can't trust others with the same ease."

"You two have an interesting story. Remember to always believe in your powers. I know you'll listen to me, not like my stupid grandson. He's about four years older than the boy, and he's as thick as a brick sometimes. Scratch that, most times. When the Demons begin acting up, come back to this place, and I'll help you in any way that I can. We've all got to do our part to protect Filgaia," Halle said to them.

Virginia told her, "Thank you for your help. I'm sure Jet and I can take care of ourselves. It does feel reassuring to know that you'll be here for us when there's trouble. If my own mother was alive, I would ask her. To know I can go to someone like you with all of your wisdom for advice calms me a little more."

Halle smiled. "And she's a sweetheart too. I'd better go jam something like this into Gallows's head, not like he'll remember it in a few hours. He should learn from you, but I can't just send an acolyte out of the Colony unless they're going to the Guardian Sanctuary. But make sure you two are careful out there. If Filgaia wants you to fight for her protection, then you can't just go and get yourselves killed out there. We will meet again, I just don't know when. May Zephyr's light guide you to a better tomorrow."

Thanking Halle for the kindly proverb, they left the temple. Her younger grandson, eleven year old Shane who was nearly twelve, was sitting on the rock in the center of the village as they left. He watched them go with interest, his blue eyes never leaving their retreating forms, his long blond hair falling across his face. Something told him they would play a major role in the future. It would be these two who would rejuvenate their dying homeworld, and bring back peace. The boy smiled, and ran inside to tell his brother what he had seen. This was truly an eventful day, the future would be assured at long last and they would all be free.

- - - -

****

Teefa's Last Words…

Ended on a high note, and a lot of foreshadowing. Hey! I had to put a younger Shane in, he's just so cute. Well, the sequel should be up soon, it'll be in game this time. Also, remember that the soundtrack song list can be found on my website. I can't put a link in here, so go to my profile for it. Last time I tried, it didn't upload correctly.


End file.
